Electric vs gas oven is the most popular item regarding ovens. Therefore, informing yourself of their pros and cons is a necessity to make a smart decision.
Although there have been numerous inventions of kitchen appliances over the last few decades, ovens still play a significant role in cooking since they help prepare various dishes for family meals. Electric vs gas oven is two main categories of this cooking appliance. Each of them comes with its pros and cons worth considering if you plan to buy one or want to know whether your current oven is excellent enough.
This page will inform you of close details about these ovens, thereby helping you to make your decision wisely. Read on!
Contents
Overview Of Electric Vs Gas Oven
Gas ovens were commonplace in the 19th century, while electric ovens are relatively more prevalent these days. However, gas ovens are still favored in innumerable kitchens across the globe. Each appliance comes with its strengths and weaknesses.
Electric oven
An electric oven is simply an electric device that works by utilizing electricity. It produces heat electrically, typically by resistive heating. An electric oven is associated with many outstanding advantages in using, cleaning, and cooking, the leading causes behind its wide popularity.
Here is a video for you to know more about how electric ovens work:
Gas Oven
A gas oven is a type of oven that is heated by gas via a gas-fuelled burner. This appliance needs a constant source of natural gas to operate. The gas is often burned by a spark generator or a pilot flame, according to each model. Gas ovens come with a different set of features compared with their electric alternative.
Electric Vs Gas Oven: 6 Key Differences
Source of heat
One evident distinction suggested by their name is their source of heat.
First off, burner ignition starts the heating process of the gas oven. It is commonly seen in the bottom place of this appliance. Apart from this burner, some ovens also have a second burner located at the top of them. There usually is a sheet of metal, including big vents covering this burner. The burner provides heat upwards into the compartment.
Regarding electric ovens, metal coils are their source of heat. While running, these heating components turn red-hot, which is easily spotted on the base of the oven. Besides, some electric ovens also have additional broiling parts at the top of them.
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Heating speed
The heating speed gives the gas ovens an edge over electric ovens. Indeed, an electric oven reaches a higher temperature more slowly in comparison. It is attributed to its structure when the metal coils take time to evenly give off heat throughout the oven. Typically, this heating process starts from a cold coil to a superheated coin, generating a high temperature. The heating time can be up to 30 minutes, a hassle for those who prefer cooking quickly.
Alternatively, a gas oven doesn’t require a particular time to preheat before reaching the needed temperature. As a result, gas ovens can heat up faster, thereby accelerating the cooking process. Additionally, the temperature and size of the flame in gas ovens can be controlled at ease, speeding up the total time spent on cooking.
Heat distribution
Hot spots are the characteristic feature of gas ovens that are worth recognizing when weighing these two varieties of ovens. It indicates that some parts are hotter than others, especially at the top of the gas oven. Consequently, you need to rotate the pan from time to time to distribute heat evenly. The reason for this feature is caused by the lack of fans in this appliance. Subsequently, it is difficult for heat to circulate evenly around the cavity and the top of the oven is usually the hottest part. However, this uneven heat distribution can be an advantage depending on the cooking style. For example, you can cook in different ways simultaneously thanks to this feature such as cooking fish at the bottom while roasting potatoes on the top.
In contrast, most electric ovens have fans, which in turn deliver consistent heat throughout the cavity since they can circulate the hot air around the oven. Given that the temperature does not drop in the rim, people can cook their food evenly from different angles, particularly when baking big batches. Undoubtedly, cooking in an electric oven is favorable for some foods sensitive to temperature gradation to prevent burning.
Cooking style
Because of these distinctions regarding heat distribution and heating speed, each oven is suitable for certain cooking styles.
Gas ovens offer moisture heat since water vapor is produced when it combusts. Therefore, it is an ideal option for some recipes requiring maintaining the moisture of the dishes. For instance, this humid cooking setting is perfect for cooking juicy meats or baking meat pies since they are less prone to become dry and hard, whereas making cookies is unsuitable.
On the other hand, electric ovens tend to offer drier heat, which is optimal for broiling or giving crispness or crunch to foods. Some dishes you might love to make from an electric oven are cookies or fried food such as crispy fried chickens and chips.
Cost
About running costs, cooking with an electric oven typically costs more than its gas counterpart. Indeed, one experiment discovered that running an electric oven is 50% more expensive than the gas oven in one year. Therefore, choosing a gas oven can reduce your annual energy bill by comparison. Furthermore, purchasing a gas oven upfront is also cheaper, which makes it preferable in various respects.
Concerning installation cost, you better be mindful that setting up a gas oven can carry a hefty price tag if you do not have a gas line installed to function properly. Therefore, if a gas oven is compatible with your current kitchen settings, you can go for it without hesitation.
Clean and installation
If you opt for a gas oven, you will need a gas professional to connect your oven securely to a gas line, which might be difficult somehow. Conversely, you can place an electric oven in any position easily in your kitchen since you only have to plug it in and turn the knob. Cleaning a gas oven is also trickier to prevent ignitable gas from leading to a fire. However, there are still a few tips to clean a gas oven properly that you may want to know.
Which Is Better: Electric Oven Or Gas Oven?
Regarding the differences between gas and electric ovens, it is tough to determine which one is the champion as they have both benefits and drawbacks. Therefore, choosing between them is a matter of preference. If you’re willing to spend a high budget and often cook crispy foods, you better go for electric ovens since they are easier to install, clean, and provide even heat. Otherwise, if you fancy something more affordable to suit your limited budget and you tend to cook more juicy dishes, a gas oven is your perfect choice.
Conclusion
Overall, gas ovens and electric ovens have both pros and cons in various aspects. Hence, taking all the information above into account is beneficial for choosing your desired oven based on your needs and budget.
Hopefully, after reading this article about the fundamental discrepancies between the two most common types of oven, you might find it simpler to decide. Plus, don’t forget to revisit us for more valuable guides.
